Star Wars’next movie,The Mandalorian and Grogu, seems almost guaranteed to break a 48-year-old tradition forStar Warsmovies, and that will really be a shame. Of allStar Wars’upcoming movies,The Mandalorian and Groguis perhaps the most highly anticipated, not only because it’s next but also because of what it entails.
In addition to focusing on some ofStar Wars’best characters(the titular leads certainly included), this represents the firstStar Warsshow making the jump to the big screen. While I believe the excitement aboutThe Mandalorian and Groguis valid,I’m also convinced one of my favoriteStar Warstraditions is about to be broken in the movie.
Anthony Daniels Has Been In Every Star Wars Movie (Even The Spinoffs)
For Nearly 50 Years, Daniels Has Maintained This Tradition
C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels, impressively, has been in everyStar Warsmovie over the franchise’s 48-year history, including spin-offsRogue One: A Star Wars StoryandSolo: A Star Wars Story. This is quite the feat, both because these movies span decades and because it proves the character’s importance.
In fact, that makes this especially impressive, considering it would be all too easy for a droid to feel like little more than a background character. That’s far from the case for C-3PO, though, who has been instrumental inStar Warsmovies and TV showsfor generations now.
C-3PO Is Unlikely To Appear In The Mandalorian And Grogu
It’s Difficult To Imagine C-3PO Fitting Into This Story
Although C-3PO has been so key, and Anthony Daniels has kept up with this incredible record inStar Wars, it’s likely thatThe Mandalorian and Groguwill be the firstStar Warsmovie to break with tradition by not having Anthony Daniels appear in the movie.It’s just difficult to imagine C-3PO fitting into this story.
It’s likely thatThe Mandalorian and Groguwill be the firstStar Warsmovie to break with tradition by not having Anthony Daniels appear in the movie.
With that said, it’s not impossible. After all,Ahsokarevealed ways C-3PO can still be used in this era oftheStar Warstimeline, as he was the one to speak before the New Republic senators in Princess Leia’s place (a creative workaround to recasting Leia).Soloalso showed one other way this could work.
The Mandalorian And Grogu Could Use Solo’s Anthony Daniels Trick
C-3PO Didn’t Appear In Solo, But Anthony Daniels Did
C-3PO didn’t appear inSolo, but Anthony Daniels did, as a brand-new character. In the movie, Daniels played Tak, a con artist, offering Daniels a fun, very different role inStar Wars. Although Tak has limited screen time—it’s a true cameo—and this wasn’t C-3PO, it maintained thisStar Warstradition in a creative way.
Theoretically,The Mandalorian and Grogucould use this same strategy with some other character or find a way to incorporate C-3PO. However, for now, I remain nervous thatThe Mandalorian and Groguwill break this nearly 50-year-oldStar Warstradition.
